Tuesday, September 22, 2009

ride like a car

from http://www.dot.state.pa.us/BIKE/WEB/road_where.htm

On our ride last Saturday, we had a group of about 12 or so riders. We were on Five Points Road heading towards QVC. We were on the right side of the road and a car behind me stopped and was trying to turn right.

As I watched with my rear view mirror, I saw the bikers still following me and NOT stopping to let the car turn right.

It was not a good situation and luckily the car was patient enough to wait for the all riders to pass by him on the right.

I am not sure what is right here but I am guessing the cyclists should have stopped and let the car turn right.

stephen, thanks, we were on the right shoulder, 2 lane road, the car wanted to turn right, it was not an intersection but a small road off of the 2 lane road, so the bikes could not have been on the left of the car as that would put them in opposing traffic, so what to do??

This happens a lot when Bill and I go biking. If we get to the intersection first, then we go ahead of the right turning car. If we don't the car, at least in my opinion goes first.

Who was at the intersection first?

However in your case since you had a group I would have let the car go instead of waiting for all of you to pass.

We have also had cars try to speed past us as we are riding on the road with no intersection but maybe a driveway or entrance to some store. The car speeds up to race us so they can turn in front of us. This happens a lot too. Sometimes we have had to slam on our brakes to avoid running into the turning car.

When we approach intersections we always look for turning lights on the cars. If they are in front of us or next to us and have their lights blinking we let them go.

yes, this was a small turn off road, not an intersection and i had no clue the car wanted to turn as i was farther ahead, but when i looked back i saw the car sitting with his turn signal and the chicks continuing by on the right

got this from a fellow"The subject line of your blog say it all ... RIDE LIKE A CAR. A bike is the same as a car ... those in front of the car should have proceeded on, with the car waiting for those riders to go/cross. Those behind the car should have remained there and proceeded after the car turned."

"I think that it depends and that two rules matter here: don't pass onthe right, and don't start a passing maneuver that you can't finish.

If the car was ahead of the group and the group passed it on theright, then the group was wrong because they passed on the right.

On the other hand, if the car started to pass the group but didn'thave time to pass the whole group and complete their turn, then thedriver was wrong because they started a passing maneuver that theycouldn't finish.

Issues of right and wrong aside, whoever's at the front of the grouphas to pay attention to what's ahead, anticipate problems, and decidewhat to do. Is there enough time and space to safely stop the groupbehind the turning car or to change the group's line to pass the caron the left? If not, the safest thing for the group is to keep thesame line and speed."

Speaking from safety wise if the automobile just passed you should be safe. Yet it is safer not to pass on the right every time.

You stated there was a shoulder. In this case, You're not on the roadway. The driver would then need to make sure there were no obstructions or people before they left the roadway to turn. Key here is leaving the roadway.

I won't pass any cars on the right/left if they need to repass on a narrow lane.

I will pass on the left if they use the turn signal. Also I line up to the left when right turning traffic has room at intersections.

I never use the Right turn only lane. I will get in line behind cars if need be in an urban environment.

This may play into the shoulder becoming a RTOL, Rural roads you can have some leeway, and or signs allowing this.

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About Me

I run a women's special interest bike group as part of the West Chester Cycling Club. We ride all over Chester County and do ride events as well. Go buy yourself a nice road bike and come join me.
libby.maxim@gmail.com